College Football Playoff selection committee to include current ADs

While the particulars of the upcoming College Football Playoff selection process have yet to be finalized, details are slowly starting to emerge. Namely, current athletic directors will be part of the selection committee, Matt Hayes of the Sporting News reports.

The committee, which will select the four teams to take part in the two playoff semifinal matchups, is likely to include one athletic director from each of the five power conferences (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, SEC). Former coaches and players and potentially former media members could also be involved.

According to Hayes, the selection committee would include certain protocol to help prevent current athletic directors from favoring their respective programs:

If an athletic director’s school is part of the playoff process, he or she will leave the room during voting for that team. The athletic director would stay in the room if a member from his or her conference is being debated.

The use of current athletic directors in the selection process runs contradictory to what many BCS commissioners had previously said regarding the College Football Playoff. SEC commissioners said in May that no current athletic directors would be included on the selection committee.

A source also told ESPN.com's Brett McMurphy that it is "highly, highly unlikely" that the College Football Playoff will release weekly rankings, as the current BCS system does. Though the College Football Playoff has stressed the need for transparency with the new process, executive director Bill Hancock previously estimated earlier this year that two or three polls would be released throughout the 2014 season.

It is believed that 12-20 individuals will comprise the College Football Playoff selection committee, which goes into effect in 2014. The committee will also be responsible for selecting teams for the four New Year's bowl games that are not hosting the national semifinals.

The Rose and Sugar bowls will host the first semifinal contests on Jan. 1, 2015. The first College Football Playoff national championship will kick off on Jan. 12, 2015 at Cowboys Stadium.